The Smile In The Back Of The Bus
by APrairiefan
Summary: Mark is a bus driver for the Chicago Public School, Lincoln Middle School while Jonathan is it true officer.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Mark is a bus driver for the Chicago Public School, Lincoln Middle School. Jonathan is a Truant officer.**

**The Smile In The Back Of The Bus**

**Chapter 1**:

Jonathan Smith and Mark Gordon are at the Lincoln Middle School showing their credentials. The school is in need of a Truant Officer. The other one, a lady left to have a baby. Jonathan got the job. Mark, get a job to drive a bus through the Cabrini-Green housing projects which no one else wanted because it was such a rough place.

The next day the school bus makes it's route. Mark is driving. A crowd of school children is waiting at the corner. The bigger ones push the little ones out of the way. A real punk, Sammy has his Boombox playing on the bus very loudly he takes a seat. Others board the bus. Jesse a rough kid with spiked hair, trips little Ronnie who happens to be the smallest kid on the bus.

Little Ronnie is boarding the bus and other bigger kids either step on or push little Ronnie. There are no seats left except the very last one. The seat, it's a half of a seat. The cushion is torn and the stuffing is out. Little Ronnie goes and takes his seat on the bus at the very back.

Now that everyone has boarded, Mark puts the bus in park stands up and with authority in his voice says looking at his pickup list, "Sammy Jones, turn off your Boombox this is a bus to transfer your kids to school we're going to lay down some rules and no loud music is one of them."

Sammy says, "You got a problem, Mister? what you say, whitey? What you say?"

Mark answers, "I have no problem, but you got a problem you know what your problem is you, you be hard of hearing."

Sammy retorted, "Hard of hearing yourself."

Tammy, Sammy's sister says, "Stop, 'fore I tell Mama you bad then you be ailing after she whoops you!"

So Sammy turns off his load boombox and settles down.

Vanessa a party girl says, "Excuse me, Mr. bus driver, what's your name?"

Mark answers, I'm Mark Gordon your new bus driver."

Vanessa replies, "Thank you, Mr. Gordon, may I share my bubblegum on the bus?"

Mark answers and asks, "Everyone promises to properly dispose of his piece?"

The kids all chime in, "We will."

Everyone gets a piece but Vanessa is one piece short so little Ronnie doesn't get a piece. At first Ronnie is saddened he didn't get a piece of gum. After a moment he takes something out of his pocket and starts smiling.

When they arrive at the school all the kids insist that little Ronnie get off first. Then the others rush off the bus and while little Ronnie can't get away. The kids at least most of them stick their used gum all over little Ronnie's hair.

Mark helps little Ronnie ungum his hair.

Little Ronnie thanks Mark for helping him ungum his hair and then heads to class.

Will the children keep picking on little Ronnie and what is in his pocket that makes him smile?

To Be Continued


	2. Chapter 2

The Smile In The Back Of The Bus

Chapter 2:

The next day of school the buses run to pick up the kids for school. Mark picks up his bus for the route in Cabrini Green housing in Chicago. The kids are all waiting for the bus many are talking among themselves, Vanessa is saying how she is going to the Prince concert this weekend. Jesse, (spiked hair) wants to go with her, and she says, "Yes."

Sammy and Tammy, (brother and sister) are talking Tammy asks, "Sammy did you do want Mama told you?"

Sammy answers, "What if I didn't? Ain't your business to meddle."

Tammy responds, "I'm just saying."

Sammy brushes her off then turns to Vanessa and says, "Let's go to the arcade Sunday."

Vanessa answers, "Yes."

Little Ronnie bravely speaks up and says, "Vanessa, I saw you at the girls baseball game you were good. Could you teach me?"

Vanessa looks down her nose at him and shakes her head "no." Then she is attracted to Jesse whom mentions how pretty she is.

Mark arrives with the bus all get on board. Little Ronnie gets the same treatment, pushed out of the way or literally removed from a bus seat because a bigger kid wanted that seat.

Mark says to the bigger kid, "Now there is no reason to treat Ronnie like that, let him sat there if he wants.

The kids responds, "Look mister this is my seat and no runt of a kid is sitting with me!"

Jonathan almost says something with a mean look on his face but little Ronnie cuts in, "Mr. Gordon it is ok, I'll go back of the bus."

Mark answers, "Ok, son."

Before Mark goes to his driver seat Vanessa asked again if she can share her gum. Mark answers, "No," because of what they did to little Ronnie yesterday and than suggests to Vanessa to give Ronnie a piece instead."

Vanessa asks, "Do I have to?"

Mark answers, "Yes," Vanessa obliges but really doesn't want to."

Ronnie thanks Vanessa for the gum and they all take their seat.

Mark then takes a seat at the driver's seat and doesn't notice any other activity.

Little Ronnie goes back to the far back seat that no one wants. Some kid put honey all over the seat. He decides to just sat on the floor. Some kids toward the back of the bus start to chuckle.

Mark is driving along when Sammy lets out a big burp and Sammy and other kids start to laughing. Little Ronnie is crying a little bit but looks up, sighs and remembers something in his pocket. He takes it out looks at it and starts to smile.

About two blocks from Lincoln Middle School, where the kids attend, Mark looks in his rearview mirror and notices little Ronnie sitting on the floor. Mark pulls over and says, "Ronnie, please take your seat."

Ronnie looks up from his picture, sticks it back in his pocket, swallows a little and takes his seat not saying a word about the honey. The whole bus erupts in laughter except Mark and little Ronnie. Mark doesn't understand and little Ronnie doesn't think it's funny at all.

They arrive at school the bus unloads with kids laughing. Little Ronnie manages to get up off his seat on the bus but some of the torn cloth of the bus seat sticks to Ronnie's shirt. His shirt and pants are gooey and his shoes are making sticky sounds from the back of the bus to the front of the bus. Mark asks, "Do you want to tell me about it!"

Little Ronnie stands there uncomfortable and silent. After a moment Mark says, "Let's go to the school clothes closet and change these clothes."

Little Ronnie puts his hand into Mark's hand as Mark leads him to get his clothes changed.

The tardy bell rings and Little Ronnie is late. Social studies class is in progress for 10 minutes now. Little Ronnie walks in and Mark explains why Ronnie is late.

Ronnie has to pass Sammy to sit down at his desk. Sammy Whispers to him, "What's the matter, You get 'stuck' somewhere?" Then Sammy Chuckles a little.

The teacher says, "Quiet in the classroom, pay attention to chapter 17 on Social, Cultural Structure."

Sammy thinks to himself, "We'll teach Ronnie the Social, Cultural Structure of where he belongs."

Mark cleans up the mess on the bus while the school day is in progress and repairs that seat on the bus so it looks even better than the other seats.

Schools out and the bus is loading. Little Ronnie goes to the back seat as usual and sees how much nicer it looks. Ronnie turns around, smiles at Mark as if to say, "Thank you" then he turns to sit down, "OUCH!" Ronnie screams. Someone put a tack in the seat as Ronnie was sitting down.

Mark demanded, "All right who did that?"

No one fessed up.

Little Ronnie removed the tack and gently sat back down. He started to cry. Then he took something out of his shirt pocket and after a moment of reflection started to smile.

Mark meets back up with Jonathan that evening and asks, "What is the assignment? The other kids are really being mean to Ronnie."

Jonathan responds, "Keep being a friend to him, God has a plan."

What is the picture of that is in Ronnie's pocket?

To BeContinued


End file.
